Gyromitra sphaerospora & Gyromitra californica

[ Ascomycetes > Pezizales > Discinaceae > Gyromitra . . . ]

by Michael Kuo

These false morels are less frequently encountered than some of their cousins. Gyromitra sphaerospora is known from northeastern North America and from western Montana. The similar Gyromitra californica occurs in the Pacific Northwest and the Rocky Mountains. The mushrooms are distinguished by their habitat on decayed wood, their cushion-shaped caps, and by the prominent ribs that begin on the stem and continue to the undersurface of the cap. The stems are usually pinkish or purplish, at least in part.

These mushrooms are not safe edibles! See the page on Mushroom Toxins for further information.

Description:

Ecology: Officially saprobic, but potentially also mycorrhizal--or, like the true morels, donning both ecological hats in the course of its life cycle; found in late spring and early summer on fallen logs, especially those of birch species; northeastern North America and western Montana (G. sphaerospora); western North America (G. californica).

Cap: 3-8 cm; "appearing puffy like the surface of a souffle or undulating with broad bumps" (Weber, 1995); pale brown to umber brown to yellow brown; undersurface paler and ribbed.

Flesh: Thin; fragile.

Stem: 3-10 cm; stuffed; irregularly ribbed, the ribs resembling "a cluster of broad noodles" (Weber, 1995); purplish red to rose to lavender.

Microscopic Features: Spores 8.5-12 µ and round, without oil droplets (G. sphaerospora) or 13-19 x 7-10 µ and elliptical, with oil droplets (G. californica).

REFERENCES: Saccardo, 1889. (Arora, 1986; Weber, 1995; Abbott & Currah, 1997; Kuo, 2005.) I have not collected this mushroom.

Pseudorhizina californica and Pseudorhizina sphaerospora are synonyms.

Further Online Information:

Pseudorhizina californica at MykoWeb

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Cite this page as:

Kuo, M. (2005, January). Gyromitra sphaerospora & Gyromitra californica. Retrieved from the MushroomExpert.Com Web site: http://www.mushroomexpert.com/gyromitra_sphaerospora.html